Yepes Receives Fellowship from American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 13, 2013) − Dr. Juan Yepes, associate professor in the Division of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, has been awarded the Samuel D. Harris Research and Policy Fellowship from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry  (AAPD) sponsored by Preventech, a dental materials company.

The Harris Fellow is bestowed upon pediatric dental residents and individuals in their first five years post-residency. The Fellowship, named for noted pediatric dentist and philanthropist Dr. Samuel D. Harris, who passed away in 2003, has bestowed grants on organizations  and universities dedicated to fighting children's dental disease

As the Harris Fellow, Yepes serve as a research assistant for a specific research project of the AAPD Pediatric Oral Health Research and Policy Center, whose goals are to:

• Conduct oral health research, including but not limited to health services research that advances children’s oral health issues and supports AAPD public policy and public relations initiatives at the national, state, local, and international levels with legislatures, government agencies, professional associations, and other non-governmental organizations.

• Develop and implement special project activities that advance children’s oral health issues and public understanding of such, in accordance with AAPD policies and guidelines.

• Produce timely and high quality policy analysis on critical issues impacting children’s oral health.

• Produce useful studies and analysis to further the understanding of practices which will contribute to the oral health of all children.

Yepes received his Doctor of Dental Science (DDS) degree and Medicine Degree (MD) from Javeriana University at Bogota, Colombia. In 1999, he moved to the U.S. and attended the University of Iowa and the University of Pennsylvania where he completed a fellowship and residency in radiology and oral medicine respectively in 2002 and 2004.  In 2006, Yepes completed a Master in Public Health (MPH) and in 2011 a Doctoral Degree in Public Health (DrPH) both with emphasis in epidemiology at the UK College of Public Health. In 2008,Yepes completed a residency program in Dental Public Health at University of Texas, Baylor College of Dentistry. Additionally, he completed the residency program of pediatric dentistry at UK in the summer of 2012.  

Media Contact: Ann Blackford at 859-323-6442 or ann.blackford@uky.edu